Easel.



M. HERBST.

EASEL.

APPLICATION FILED 1350.8, 1911.

COLUMPM PLANOGRAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. D C,

UNITED STATES VPATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN HERBST, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 BASTIAN BROTHERS COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER,

NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

EASEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

['o all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, MARTIN HERBST, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Easels, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to easels, or similar devices for supporting pictures, advertising cards and th'e like.

The object ofthe invent-ion is to produce an easel of simple and inexpensive construction, which may be made of cardboard or other sheet-material, and which is so constructed that it may be conveniently eX- -v tended for use, or folded flat when not in use.

To this end the invention consists in the easel hereinafter described, as it is defined in the succeeding claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a perspective rear-view of an easel embodying the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a vertical median section, showing the easel in folded position.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the front or body-portion 3 consists of a sheet of cardboard, or other suitable material, upon the face of which a picture or advertisement may be mounted or printed. When the easel is in use the body 3 is -inclined slightly backward, and is supported in this position by a leg 4. This leg consists of a strip of cardboard, or other sheetmaterial, of which the upper end is glued to the rear surface of the body. A crease 5, near the upper end, permits the leg to bend freely, so that it may be swung at an angle to the body, as in Fig. l. The leg is maintained in operative position by means of a brace 6 which also consists of a strip of sheet-material. The lower end of the brace is glued to the rear surface of the body, and the brace is creased at 7 so that it may be swung outwardly as in Fig. l.

The outer or upper end 8 of the brace is bent upwardly, so as to rest flat against the inner surface of the leg, and this end 8 is connected with the leg by means of an eyelet 10, which engages a longitudinal slot 9 in the leg. The leg and the brace are thus permanently and strongly secured together,

but the slot permits a relative movement of the parts by which the brace and the leg may be folded flat against the back-body, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the folded position the easel may be conveniently packed or transported, and when the easel is to be used it is necessary merely to pull the brace outwardly and downwardly from the body, whereupon the parts assume the position in Fig. 1, and in this position they are retained frictionally.

I claim l. An easel having, in combination with a substantially-flat body to be supported, a strip of sheet-material secured, at its upper end, to the body and adapted to swing rearwardly therefrom to form a supporting leg; a second strip of sheet-material secured, at its lower end, to the body and adapted to swing away therefrom to form a brace for the leg; and an eyelet connecting the upper end of the brace with the leg; the leg having a longitudinal slot engaged by the eyelet so that the parts are permanently connected together-but may be folded flat by moving the eyelet upwardly in the slot.

2. An easel having, in combination with a substantially flat body to be supported, a strip of sheet-material of which the upper end is secured fiat against the body, said strip being sufficiently flexible, below its point of attachment, to swing away from the body and act as a supporting leg, and being also longitudinally slotted; a second strip of sheet-material constituting a brace for said leg, and means for fastening the outer end of the brace to the leg; the inner end of the brace being bent downwardly and se-` cured to the body, and the outer end of the brace being bent upwardly and lying flat against the inner surface of the leg and a flat-headed fastening-means passing through said outer end and the slot in 4the leg and securing said parts frictionally together; whereby the leg and the brace may be folded flat against the body ywithout disconnecting them from each other.

MARTIN HERB ST.

Witnesses D. GURNEE, L. THON.

copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

